Voting-machine.



J. H. DEAN.

VOTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11, 1910.

1,024,123. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Elnvudoz annular! J. H. DEAN.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION IILBD AUG. 11, 1910.

1,024,123. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

3 BHEBTSSHEET 2.

Qvwonfoz I es/1176 I/vi in no 1 J, H. VOTING MACHI APPLIUATION FILEDAUG. 1], 1910. 1,024, 1 23. Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

Hllllllllllllllll UNITED STATES I PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. DEAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 EMPIRE VOTING MACHINECOMPANY, OF JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

VOTING-MACHINE.

To all whom "it may concern."

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. DEAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook, State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Voting-Machines, of which I do declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved mechanismfor returning and locking the voting keys on a machine of the typedescribed in the Patent 820,802, Lausterer, issued May 15, 1900, and theapplication of Lausterer 294,007.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of aportion of the operating mechanism of the voting machine. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal. horizontal section through the machine showing thearrangement of the keys and counters. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectionshowing one of the oflice lines of keys, taken on the line 3*, 3* ofFig. 4. Fig. 4L is a rear elevation of the key- 'board, showing the keysand the resetting and locking bars. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing theconnection between the key and interlocking strap. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the mechanism for resetting the keys. Fig. 7 is adetail view of the handle for operating the resetting mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings like reference numerals refer to likeparts.

\eference numeral 1 indicates the curtain lever for the voting machine.This lever is keyed to the shaft 2, which in turn has keyed thereto thedouble ended cranks 3. The curtain lever, the shaft and the cranks alloperate in unison.

Connected to the crank 3 are the connecting rods 1, l, each of which inturn is connected to the bell crank 5 pivoted on the stud 6. Connectedto this bell crank is the link 7 which is connected to and rocks thelever 8. Connected to the outer end of the lever 8 is the connecting rod9 which in turn is connected to the lever 10 and 11. The lever 11carries therein a cam 12 with which the crank 13 engages for the purposeof rocking the shaft 14. Mounted on the shaft 14 are the cranks 15 towhich the boosting bar 16 is connected, which boosting bar canSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 11, 1910.

Patent-ed Apr. 23, 1912.

Serial No. 576,619.

engage with the interlocking straps 17, each of said straps beingprovided with a lug 18 for such purpose. By this engagement any of theinterlocking straps and the parts connected thereto which have been onlypartially voted can be moved fully into voted position for the purposeof securing the operation of the counter, in the manner described in theLausterer application 294,067 above referred to.

The machine is provided with a front plate 20 in which are pivoted thekeys 21. Each of these keys extends through the key plate and hasriveted thereto at the rear the crank or finger 21. These keys arearranged in parallel vertical office lines and in parallel horizontalparty rows extending transverse to said ofiice lines. Extending parallelto each oflice line of keys is an upright bar 22 supported on the studs23, 23. Each of these bars is slotted with a slot 2& placed thereinopposite or adjacent to each of the voting keys. Mounted to slide oneach of these bars are the slides or dogs 25, one of these beingprovided. for each key and being placed on the bar adjacent thereto.Each of these slides is slotted so that the finger can engage therewith.The finger is provided with a reduced end for such purpose, and the slotin the slide 25 is made considerably longer than is needed for the mereengagement alone, so as to permit a certain amount of lost motionbetween the finger 21 and the slide 25, for a purpose that will behereinafter explained. Each of the slides 25 is provided with a pin orstud 26, bent to the shape of a yoke, to which is connected theinterlocking strap 17.

The keys normally stand in position indicated by the middle row ofvoting devices in Fig. 4:. They are placed in voted position by beingoperated to the position in which the top row of voting devices in Fig.4: is shown, and when reset by the voter they are placed in the positionin which the bottom row of voting devices in Fig. 4 is shown.

As heretofore explained, each of the keys engages with the slide 25, andwhen the key is moved from the position shown in the middle line to thatshown in the top line in Fig. 4c, the key is rocked to that position andthe slide 25 is elevated to the position corresponding to that in whichthe top row of voting devices is illustrated in Fig. 4. This rocking ofthe key carries up the slide that has connected thereto the interlockingstrap. If the voter wishes to change his vote in any particular, he canpress the key back to the position shown in the middle line of Fig. 5,but such movement of the key will leave the slide 25 and theinterlocking strap connected thereto in its ele vated position. and willaccordingly not release the interlock so as to permit the voting ofanother key in its stead.

To depress the slide 25 and the interlocking strap connected thereto,the keys must be turned past the normal position and placed in theabnormal position shown by the bottom row of voting devices in Fig. 4.The movement of the voting devices from the extreme upper position tothe extreme lower position carries the finger first to the bottom of theslot in the slide 25, and thereafter carries the slide down with ituntil the key and slide reach the position to correspond to that shownin the bottom line of Fig. 4.

The keys can be moved automatically to the position indicated by themiddle line of voting devices in Fig. 4, and for this purpose theresetting and locking bars 28 are provided. One of these bars 28 isprovided between the consecutive party rows of keys, and an extra bar 29is provided above the top row of keys and below the bottom row of keys.Each of the bars 28 has cut therein on both sides thereof the cams 30,which cams are cut the same distance between centers as the keys arespaced apart between centers on the keyboard of the machine. These barsare moved longitudinally by the operating mechanism of the machine, aswill now be described.

lhe operating bar 9 shown in Fig. 6 carries thereon the cam 31. The bars29 and 28 are connected by the cross bar 32. Mounted on this cross bar32 is the handle 33, which handle projects through the casing 3 1'of themachine and is conveniently exposed for operation by the electionoflicer. Mounted on the cross bar 32 or the handle 33 is the stud 35.This stud is conveniently placed so as to be engaged by the cam 31, sothat when the bar 9 descends the cam 31 will engage the stud 35 and moveall the bars 28 and 29 connected thereto to the right from the positionshown in Figs. at and 6.

One of the bars 28 is provided with a re cess 36. Mounted on the frontplate 20 in a convenient position for engaging this recess 36, is thelatch 37. This latch has mounted thereon the pin 38 which can be engagedby the upper edge of the plate 52 on which the cam 31 is formed. Thislatch 37 engages the recess 36 in the bar 28 when the bar is in itsright hand position, and locks the bars in such position, in whichposition the bars in turn will lock all of the keys against rotation, aswill presently appear. That is, the latch will lock the bars 28 and 29in the position to which they have been moved when the cam 31 acts onthe stud 35. Vhen the curtain lever 1 is moved in the reverse directionand the bar 9 is raised, the cam 31 is moved up from the stud 35,releasing the bars 32, 28 and 29 for movement to the left, and alsoraises the latch 37 during the latter part of its movement. Thisreleasing of the latch 37 during the latter part of the movement of thebar 9 prevents the premature operation of the keys, as it is apparentthat up to that time the bars 28 and 29 cannot be moved to the left forthe purpose of releasing the keys for voting operation.

lVhen the frame comprising the bars 32, 28 and 29 stands released, theframe can be moved to the left by the election otiicers pressing on thebutton 10, which will. shift all of the bars 28 and 29 so as to placethe recesses 41 therein opposite the upturned part 12 of the fingers 21,this being the position in which such bars are shown in Fig. As shown inFig. 6, the solid portions of the bars 28 and 29 are placed oppositethese recesses, preventing the turning of the keys thereby, but when thebars are moved so that the recesses 41 are opposite the upturnedportions 42 of the keys, the keys are free to turn either up or down,moving the upturned end of the key into such recesses. hen the key isturned up it will raise with it the slide 25 on the interlocking strap17 connected thereto. lVhen the key is turned back to the horizontalposition, the slide 25 and its interlocking strap will remain inelevated position. Vhen the key is turned down below the horizontalposition, the slide 25 and its interlocking strap will move down withit. It will now be seen that whether the keys are left turned either upor down from the horizontal position, the movement of the bars 28 and 29to the right from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the position shown inFig. 6, will turn all of the keys to the horizontal position, and thispositioning of the keys will be done without affecting the position ofthe interlocking straps.

As shown in Fig. 1, I provide the cam 12 for driving the rock shaft 1 1for the purpose of boosting any of the interlocking straps that havebeen improperly placed, so as to make the keys or the slides connectedthereto operate properly on the counter actuators associated therewith.This cam is a quick acting cam and raises the bar 16 and with it theinterlocking straps and slides 25 before the forward movement of thecounter frame 44 has begun.

As will be noticed in Fig. 5, each of the slides 25 carries thereon theyoke 45 having the recess 46 therein and the long finger 47 thereon.With this yoke the counter actuator 48 cooperates to drive the two-stepcounter 49 shown in Fig. 2, in the same way as .is illustrated in anumber of patents, for example Nos. 799,556 and 802,446, Gillespie.

The movement of the bars 28 and 29 by the cam 31 and stud may be timedto occur before the operation of the counters has begun. For thispurpose the plate 39 is connected by a long arm 51 to the bar 9 so as topermit ample vertical movement of the bar 9 before the horizontal arm 52would interfere with the stud \Vhen the voted interlocking strap 17 hasbeen raised by the boosting bar 16, it will be possible to turn the keysdown to their lowest position, causing the upper end of the strap 17 tomove down. This will tend to buckle the interlocking strap and when thebars 28 and 29 operate to lock the keys before the boosting bar hasreached its highest point, this movement of the keys which might causethe buckling of the interlock ing straps is effectually prevented. It.will thus be seen that when the voter has set the keys sufliciently invoted position to cause the operation of the counters and the operationof the curtain lever has begun, the voter is prevented from manipulatingthe keys further, and in this way the buckling of the interlockingstraps is prevented, as is also any interference with or disarrangementof the counters. The interlocking straps 17 and the slides 25 connectedthereto are reset by the resetting bar 55 which passes through the slots56 in all of the interlocking straps. The resetting bar 55 is driven bythe bar 9 and is not moved to reset the interlocking straps until afterthe operation of the counters is practically completed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and patentableis as follows:

1. The combination in a voting machine of a plate, keys pivoted thereon,a dog operable by each of said keys, said dog being mounted separatelyfrom said keys and being loosely engaged thereby, a counter actuatorcontrolled by said dog, a counter operable by said actuator, and meansfor causing relative movement between said counter and .its actuatorwhereby when the key is in voted position, the dog will, cause saidcounter actuator to operate its counter.

2. The combination in a voting machine of a plate, keys pivoted thereon,a dog operable by each of said keys, said dog being mounted separatelyfrom said keys and being loosely engaged thereby, an interlocking deviceconnected to and controlling each of said dogs, a counteractuatorcontrolled by said dog, a counter operable by said actuator, andmeans for causing relative movement between said contour and itsactuator whereby when the key is in voted position, the dog will causesaid counter actuator to operate its count r.

3. The combination in a voting machine of keys arranged in rows, a barplaced par allel to each row of keys, dogs, one for each key mounted toslide on said bar, each of said keys loosely engaging its dog,permitting the key to move idly for a part of its travel forward or backand interlocking straps attached to said dogs.

t. The combination in a voting machine of a pivoted voting key, a dogmounted to slide adjacent to said key and loosely engaged therewith formovement thereby, a counter and a counter actuator therefor operable bysaid dog when moved by its key to operate its counter.

5. The combination in a voting machine of keys arranged in rows, barsarranged be tween and on either side of said rows to reset and lock thekeys in normal position, said keys being operable to either side ofnormal position, to voted or unvoted position respectively.

6. The combination in a voting machine of keys arranged in rows, barsarranged be tween and on either side of said rows to reset and lock thekeys in normal position, said keys being operable to either side ofnormal position, to voted or unvoted position respectively, a dogmounted adjacent to each of said keys for operation thereby to votedposition, said key moving said dog to voted position when the key ismoved to voted position.

7 The combination in a voting machine of keys arranged in rows, barsarranged be tween and on either side of said rows to reset and lock thekeys in normal position, said keys being operable to either side ofnormal position, to voted or unvoted position respectively, a dogmounted adjacent to each of said keys for operation thereby to votedposition, said key moving said dog to voted position when the key ismoved to voted position, said dog remaining in voted position when thekey is returned to normal position.

8. The combination in a voting machine of keys arranged in rows, barsarranged be tween and on either side of said rows to reset and lock thekeys in normal position, said keys being operable to either side ofnormal position, to voted or unvoted position respectively, a dogmounted adjacent to each of said keys for operation thereby to votedposition, said key moving said dog to voted position when the key ismoved to voted position, said dog remaining in voted position when thekey is returned to nor mal position, said key returning said dog tonormal position when the key is moved to unvoted position.

9. The combination in a voting machine LOO of keys arranged. in rows,resetting bars be-' tween and on either side of said rows, said barsbeing capable of returning the keys to normal position from either oftwo directions.

10. The combination in a voting machine of keys arranged in rows,resetting bars between and on either side of said rows, said bars beingcapable of returning the keys t0 normal position from either of twodirections, operating mechanism for the machine, said mechanism beingcapable of operating said bars simultaneously.

11. The combination in a voting machine of keys, dogs operable by saidkeys, means operable by the machine for resetting and locking said keysand for subsequently resetting and locking said dogs.

19. The combination in a voting machine of keys, dogs operable by saidkeys, counters and means cooperating with said dogs for securing theoperation of said counters, means operable by the machine for resettingand locking said keys, operating said counters and for subsequentlyresetting and locking said dogs.

13. The combination in a voting machine of keys, dogs operable by saidkeys to voting position, said keys being freely movable to return saiddogs from voting position, and means to lock said keys against returningsaid dogs from voting position.

14. The combination in a voting machine of keys, dogs operable by saidkeys to voting position, said keys being freely movable to return saiddogs from voting position, means to lock said keys against returningsaid dogs from voting position, and means for subsequently resettingsaid dogs.

15. The combination in a voting machine of keys arranged in rows, eachof said keys being movable up or down from normal position, alongitudinally movable bar on each side of each of said rows of keys,operating when moved to contact with the keys that have been moved andreturn them to normal position.

16. The combination in a voting machine of keys, of dogs operable bysaid keys to voting position, interlocking devices 0011- nected to saiddogs, means for completing the movement of partially operated dogsthrough said interlocking devices, and means for holding the keys lockedagainst operation during the operation of said means on said dogs.

17. The combination in a voting machine of keys, of dogs operable bysaid keys to voting position, interlocking devices connected to saiddogs, means for completing the movement of partially operated dogs, andmeans for holding the keys locked against operation during the operationof said means on said dogs.

18. The combination in a voting machine of keys arranged in a pluralityof parallel rows, resetting bars for said keys operating longitudinallybetween said rows, a cross bar connecting said resetting bars, a studcarried thereon, driving mechanism for the machine, a cam carriedthereon and moving transversely to said stud for the purpose of movingsaid bars longitudinally and resetting and locking said keys.

19. The combination in a voting machine of two parallel rows of votingkeys, a resetting bar between said keys, said keys being operable towardsaid bar, said bar being movable longitudinally to reset the keys ofboth rows.

20. The combination in a voting machine of a casing, keys mountedthereon in a plurality of parallel rows, a series of bars arrangedadjacent to said rows of keys, operable longitudinally to reset and locksaid 85 keys, a cross bar connecting said bars, a handle on said crossbars projecting through the machine casing, said bars being operablemanually thereby to unlocking position.

JAMES H. DEAN.

Witnesses HARRY L. CLAIP, KATHARINE GERLACII.

Gom'es of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe "Commissioner of latents.

Washington, D. O.

